Weaving My Ancestors Voices

Approaching the voice as an instrument, British-born Indian Sheila Chandra brings an expansive, timeless quality to this collection of improvised songs based on ragas and modern folk music. Most of the tracks, outside of the drone, are unadorned--as is Chandra's pretty voice, simple in its low tone and unaffected in vocal style. Still, Chandra travels to expansive places, reliving her days as Monsoon's lead singer on "Ever So Lonely/Eyes/Ocean." Though Chandra revisits British and Celtic music, her voice is at its strongest when borrowing from traditional Indian vocal technique and ragas. "Bhajan" is a soothing hymn with drone as are "Sacred Stones" and "Om Namaha Shiva," proving Chandra has indeed succeeded in connecting to ancestral voices for a lovely, meaningful album. --Karen K. Hugg